Yuletide Mischief

Yuletide Mischief

By

Dahlia Rose

Copyright © December 2012, Dahlia Rose

Cover art designed by Mina Carter © D
ecember 2012

Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting

ISBN 978-1-937394-81-3

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

Amira Press

Charlotte, NC

www.amirapress.com

Chapter One

New York in wintertime. Loki loved it and reveled in the hustle and bustle. Not because he loved Christmas, no, that was for his cousin Nicholas and his alter ego Santa Claus. Not because of the cold—that was more suited to his other cousin, Jack Frost. It was because it made for the perfect atmosphere to cause mayhem—a ruined gift or even a misunderstanding that could put a couple at odds for the holidays. It was an addiction to him and fed his mischievous side, and he simply enjoyed it.

Today looked like a perfect day to cause a little havoc. From his cousin Jack’s penthouse apartment he could see the commotion on the city streets below. Loki threw his scarf over his shoulder in a carefree, jaunty move. It was time to have some fun.

He thought about his family and wondered if he should make the trip back to Valhalla for the holidays. Jack wasn’t going to be able to come to New York anytime soon. Lucy’s second pregnancy showed one thing very early on: The baby wasn’t going to like the heat, so they moved directly back to the snowy North Pole. Nick and Neeva were expecting their first, so everyone was in the family way. Jokul and Odin, mother and father of the gods, were thrilled at the new additions to the household.

If he did go home, he could still play in Asgard.
The women and the wine
. He grinned at the thought. He made the decision that when he got bored of New York that was where he would head. He looked at himself in the large mirror over the fireplace and changed his looks. Being able to shift had its advantages. Brown hair, brown eyes, and fuller lips worked for him, and he grinned at his reflection before heading toward the private elevators. On the elevator ride down, Loki actually hummed along with the awful music.

“Nice to see you, Mr. Loki.” Mike, the doorman, tipped his hat.

“Happy holidays.” Loki was feeling generous and pulled a fifty from the roll of bills in his pocket and handed it to the doorman. “You enjoy the day.”

“Thank you, Mr. Loki!” The doorman beamed.

Loki gave him a small wave and exited the building. He didn’t mind the man using his name as a surname. If humans knew the kind of power he wielded in his hands alone, he was sure they would all fear his face. He’d leave falling in love and the family life to his cousins. He was all about the fun. He stepped outside and was assaulted by the scent of hot roasting peanuts, fresh bagels, and hotdogs. The cold, harsh wind blew through the streets that were hemmed in by tall buildings. He watched as people tried to bend into the wind, burying their noses into their scarves and coats and bracing themselves against the cold biting into their bodies. Loki didn’t feel it; he just dressed the part. Their home was in the farthest point of the North Pole, so this was like summer to him.

As he passed people carrying packages moving toward a job or their home, he trailed magic from his fingertips. He chuckled as the mayhem began. A slip and fall there, a bag falling into the dirty water there, briefcases popping open and important papers flying through the breeze. It was just the beginning, and he stopped outside one of the biggest retail stores, their window display bright and cheery, beckoning passersby to come in. Barneys was the perfect place to see what trouble he could get into.

Stepping inside, he found himself in an exact duplicate of Nicholas’s house in the North Pole. Loki bit the inside of his lip to keep from snarling. Tall toy soldiers stood here and there and Santa impersonators were on every floor. People dressed like elves were running around handing out candy canes. It was enough to make him nauseated. He decided to start his mischievous ways on the main level and work his way up to the second floor. He could pick out a few ties while watching the ruckus. An elf came up to him. She was perky, pretty, and the bright glare from her eyes stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Don’t you even dare.” Her voice was a fierce whisper, and she looked around to see if anyone was close by.

“Miss, I don’t have any clue what you mean,” Loki said and made a move to step around her.

She blocked his path, and he felt his irritation rise. “Oh, you know what I mean. And I’m telling you, not here, not this city, not this holiday.”

Could she?
Loki pushed that thought aside before he could finish it. She was human, and no mortal had ever been able to see who they really were. Even mortal wives have to be given the gift of sight in Valhalla or Asgard.

Loki gave her a cold look. “I don’t know who you think I am, but if you don’t leave me alone, I will call your manager and have you fired.”

“Go ahead. I’m rich. I work here for fun,” she retorted. “But don’t think I don’t see you for your true self, Loptr. Or should I call you by the name that myth knows you as? Loki.”

He grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her off to one side where they would be partially hidden. She protested, and he gave her a rough shake to shut her up.

“How do you look past the glamour?” Loki demanded to know. “Tell me, mortal, how do you see me?”

She raised her head defiantly. “I’ve always been able to. And don’t think that you can wipe my memory or try to make me forget. Vampires can’t do it and neither can fairies. You won’t be able to either.”

Her statement left him in shock. “You know of the second natured as well?”

She gave him a slow smile. “I know about them all and of you, Loptr, not born of Odin but of his giant brother,
Farbauti
and his wife
Laufey.
Cousin to Thor, Nicholas Claus, and Jack Frost, the latter two having taken mortal wives.”

It was unsettling hearing of his family from a human, and it angered him to be called out. He took a step toward her and whispered harshly, “Insignificant beings should not speak of what they know nothing about.”

“It seems I know more than you would like, and don’t threaten me,” she snapped. “It doesn’t work when a werewolf does it, and it sure as hell doesn’t work from you.”

Her bravery impressed him and he smiled, trying another tactic. “I’m sorry for being so rude. A human seeing my true form is unnerving, you must understand.”

He watched her roll her eyes before speaking. “Really? You are going to play the charm card? Listen, buddy, go home. I won’t have you ruining Christmas for anyone, especially me.”

“Really? How will you stop me?” Loki asked, amused. She was entertaining him. Plus, under that elf costume, she was a beauty. Soft brown eyes and full lips and in that formfitting green suit he could see her every curve and full bosom. He wondered about the hair beneath that cap. Her next words brought him back to the present.

“Oh, I can follow your ass around, buddy, trust me. I don’t mind doing it as long as kids are happy for the holidays and you’re not making people’s lives shit. Just remember, I’ll be watching you.” She began to move away and he grabbed her arm.

“What is your name?” Loki asked. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage since you seem to know everything about me and I know nothing of you.”

“Why would you want to know?”

“Are you scared?” he shot back.

She shook her head. “Of you? No way.”

“Then tell me.”

“Vivienne Gallant,” she said and pulled her arm away. “And don’t forget it because if you start chaos, I’ll be on you like white on rice.”

Her comment as she was walking away made him laugh. He came into the store expecting to start a little trouble and instead found this Vivienne Gallant—a human who could see the true nature of the immortal and Halflings. Oh, yes, she intrigued him. Instead of starting chaos, Loki went up to the ninth floor where an exclusive restaurant was housed. He would eat and relax while waiting for the store to close all the while watching her. His focus was set on a new goal and it was the woman who stopped him in a crowd. He wanted to know everything about her and vowed to know her secrets. This new challenge gave him the rush he needed, and he watched her work the floors for the rest of the day.

* * * *

“Vivi, that guy keeps watching you,” her friend Ashley said from behind the perfume counter. “And might I add that he is fine.”

Vivi looked up to the second floor where Loki casually looked at ties more expensive than the rent for some people. His eyes weren’t on the material but on her and every step she took. Ashley saw the good-looking glamour he wore, but she saw his true self and that was even more devastatingly handsome. Loki’s hair was as black as midnight, falling like a waterfall down his shoulders and he had eyes as green as emeralds. Michelangelo himself couldn’t have chiseled such a gorgeous face. There was not even a hint of stubble on his cheeks. She could almost feel the manly curve of his jaw and strong cheekbones beneath her fingertips. But the mouth she was watching caught her eyes the most. The word kissable didn’t do those lips justice. She could imagine just how he could make her crumble; he wouldn’t even have to use his magic.

“Vivi, are you listening to me?” Ashley said, bringing her out of her musing.

“Um, yeah, handsome guy,” Vivi answered. “I kinda bumped into him earlier.”

“You left an impression, it seems, because he’s got all senses on you,” Ashley replied. “I’m half expecting him to come over here any second and try to lick you.”

That comment made her laugh. “Yeah, that’s going to happen. Nah, he’s just some guy looking for something to do. You know the kind, money and nowhere to spend it.”

“Some could say that about you, Ms. Trust-fund baby playing an elf for the holidays,” Ashley pointed out.

Vivienne had many friends and most of them knew about her rich father and mother. They also knew that if any of them were down she would be there to help them up. But they also knew not to try to use her because Vivi had learned long ago to spot the fake friends. And they knew that when the chips were down that she would write a check for five thousand dollars to help get a family back on their feet, but would refuse to pay off a gambling debt for an idiot who got himself in trouble. Case-in-point: her ex-boyfriend.

She was on the board of various charities and had projects of her own. Being an elf for Christmas was one of them and brought her joy, just as going to foster homes with bags full of presents to make children happy and to see their little smiles helped her sleep at night. She knew Ashley was teasing; she was the closest thing to family that Vivi had since her parent’s death. From middle school to high school and then college to now, Ashley was family and the only one who knew her secret—that she could see what normal humans could not, including the veils between worlds.

“But at least I use my bank account to help where I can, unlike people like him.” Vivi turned away from Ashley. “He lives for chaos. Watching human misery is one of his pleasures. He gets off on it.”

“He’s one of them, isn’t he? I mean…not human,” Ashley whispered.

Vivi nodded and stepped closer to the counter.

Ashley looked up to where he was again and Vivi did too. He waved and she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, werewolf, vampire, tooth fairy?” Ashley asked.

“None of the above. What we have up there is a genuine demigod. Loki, god of mischief and chaos,” Vivi replied. “And, no, we don’t want to talk to him because his life is built on the unhappiness of others, even his own family.”

Ashley gave a low whistle. “Then you should tell him to stop making eyes at you.”

“Trust me, he is not getting anywhere near me,” Vivi muttered.

Her words were far from the truth. That night, after bidding Ashley good night and good luck on her date, Vivi decided to take a cab home. It wasn’t far from here, and she usually walked, but tonight it seemed extra-cold. Her apartment looked over Times Square and the holiday spirit was everywhere and Christmas was all around. Vivi wasn’t tired so she decided to go home and change before heading out again. She was sure she could convince a few friends to brave the cold for a bite to eat. She took a deep breath, not caring that the cold air stung her nose and throat. Vivi slipped her hands into her gloves and stepped near the curb to hail a cab.

“Let me take you home,” Loki said from behind her and she frowned.

“I can take a cab,” she answered.

“I won’t bite.” Loki smiled as he came around to face her and she felt her heart skip a beat.

Vivi put her hands on her hips and gave him a direct stare. “What’s in it for you? What game do you have planned? How will this entertain you, trickster?”